Jonathan Follweiler yelled for me, hailing me over with his hand. I shoved my cell in my pocket, wondering if I should tell Ryan that Thomas called me.

“Ah, Taryn dear, we’re in a bit of a pinch,” he said, somewhat flustered and breathless.

“Would you mind standing over there on that mark? We need to check lighting.”

“Mark?” I questioned, pointing to the X

that was taped on the ground a few yards away, and beating down the echo of Thomas’s voice in my head.

Jonathan and the three other men surrounding him appeared stressed, while another man, who said he was the grip, raised some sort of handheld device near my face.

The uncertainty of whether I was doing this properly had me frozen in place while enormous cameras and large lights were adjusted around me.

The first assistant director, a man I had come to know by the name of Denny, trotted to my side. “Where? Here?” he asked, wrapping his rough, paw-like hand around my upper arm to relocate me.

Jonathan hurried over and pulled his headphones down around his neck. “Taryn, see that first mark? I want you to stand over there and then when I give your cue, I want you to walk from there to here.”

“Sure. No problem.” I walked to the first mark and waited.

I made the same walk from point A to point B several times while the commotion of filmmaking

and lighting

adjustments

happened around me. I had no idea why I was chosen to walk back and forth, but it didn’t matter; I was just relieved to finally feel like I was serving some purpose instead of being a useless body in everyone’s way.

Ryan was off giving some sort of quick interview so I really didn’t know what to do with myself.

While I stood on the second mark, I noticed Mike escorting Ryan out to the set. I saw panic flash over Ryan’s face a moment later. He ran over to me like a father removing his child from the middle of a busy high-way. Thankfully his concern for me made thoughts of Thomas disappear.

“Sorry,” Ryan said in apology to Denny.

“Taryn—what are you doing?” he whispered furiously. He started to tug my arm, pulling me off my mark.

“No! Wait.” I tried to hold my ground.

“No, no. Ryan, leave her there,” Denny instructed. “We needed a stand-in for Nicole.”

“Oh,” Ryan uttered. Relief washed over his face.

“Jonathan has found a use for me,” I explained, bouncing slightly on my tiptoes on the large silver-tape X, trying to keep warm.

Even though it was sunny outside, the temperature in Vancouver was on the chilly side.

I nodded when Jonathan told me to stick around, but he needed ten minutes.

“Jees, I sort of panicked there for a minute.”

I frowned at him. “I think I know better than to wander out in front of the cameras.”

“I didn’t know. Sorry.” His lips curled in amusement. “Just think, your first official job in the movie industry is as an actor stand-in,” he said with a laugh. I could see the hint of pride touch his face. “You know they have you on film now? We’ll have to see if we can get a copy.”

I nudged him softly with my elbow. “This isn’t a job. It’s a quick favor for Jonathan. So, are you ready? Know your lines?” Ryan nodded. “Yes, I know my lines. I presume you know them, too.”

As if he had to ask. “I’ve been given my own official copy.”

“Of course,” he teased. “Jonathan make you an assistant director yet?” I nudged his stomach lightly for picking on me. “No. Denny has, though. They put me in charge of kicking your ass when you get out of line.”

Ryan smirked, sparked by my challenge.

He bumped me, knocking me off balance, but I quickly recovered and bumped him right back. His long fingers cinched around my upper arms as he glared down at me, his eyes half-lidded and challenging. “You think you’re tough enough?”

I swallowed hard, turned on by his show of dominance. “Absolutely. I know all of your weaknesses.”

His eyes darkened and he took my neck in a gentle but possessive clutch, instantly igniting a warmth inside me. “Yeah?” he growled, biting his lower lip, daring me to defy him. “You think? Little do you know, you’re my greatest weakness. But don’t get any ideas. Remember, I’ve had my hands and mouth on every inch of your body. I know how to take you down—quickly.” Oh how I wished we were somewhere private where he could make good on his threat.

“Promise?” I whispered, drawn to watching his lips twitch, thrilled that we had this effect on each other.